How would you handle this and what is your opinion?

[Nutmeg5575]

Last night I was watching an episode of Untold Stories of the ER. There was a female doctor who was taking care of a stab victim. She said it was unlike anything she had ever seen b/c most stab victims don't look like the attacker was trying to kill them. But this individual had a stab wound near the heart. She said that she knew whoever did this was trying to kill the man. He was making jokes and seemed very friendly. After an x-ray she said that it had punctured his lung and caused it to collapse (nemothorax). When she was about to numb the area to make the incision between his ribs she asked him who did this to him. He replied that it was his wife. Then the doctor asked why would she do this to you. And he replied with no change in expression or tone of voice I was beating the crap out of her. She said he showed no remorse. She was filled with rage, because she said she has seen women who are abused but is usually never faced with the man who did it. She then told the nurse we won't be needing this, and handed the anesthesia to her. She told him this is going to be painful then she then proceded to make an incision in between two of his ribs then placed the tube in to reinflate the lung. He was in so much pain there were nurses holding him down. Now obviously she could lose her license doing this, so she wanted to remain anonymous during the interview. She still works at that hospital.

What is your opinion on this and how would you have handled it if you would have been the doctor's nurse?

[miss_fit]

I'm with you all. Even if she knew the whole story, which she didn't, that was just wrong. And she made it a medically more risky procedure. (moving target, changing his VS, etc.)

The nurses who aided and abetted her are also guilty, IMO. (assuming it actually happened.)

What she did is unethical and illegal.

Is it illegal to not give the routine adequate anesthesia? Or just illegal to do it out of spite?

Serious question, BTW; I'd like for it to be the former, so I could report a few sadistic MDs. lol

[kukukajoo, LPN]

I can't say what I would do in a situation like that but I have to say that I personally (not professionally) applaud her for doing that.